Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-05-05

| show him the hay-mow. he SAID III
had been o sailor. and couldn't slecr
in bed. And to hear him singing
that h mn after your
| Mr.. Seymour started at her words,
and walked the floor. Then. remark.
ing that he would go and show him
his bed in the barn, he left the room.
His wife was wearied with the house
hold labors Of the long summer day,
and retired to bed. Before her hus-
band returned she was sleeping sound
ly.
There was no sleep for Wellington
Seymour on that long-remembered
night. The face and the voice of the
tramp effectually drove slumber from
his p low. wearied as he was. When
he showed him to his nest in the barn
he had asked his name. but the man
shook h S head.
"Namer' he cried, what should I
want of name? Names are for people
who can honor them. suppose | had
one, once; but have pretty near for
Cotton il"
The farmer walked the floor of the
sitting-room for an hour. trying to COM
pose himself. and to drive that face and
that voice from his mind. The effort
was useless, but it so added to his eX-
haustion that he hoped he might sleep.
The clock struck twelve, and. after
that. one; but Mr.. Seymour still Law
awake.
Exhausted in body and mind, he rose
and went out into the open ar. There
was a brilliant harvest moon in the
heavens, and he saw from the side
piazza a dark figure moving slowly
down the hillside back of the house
and across the fields. He watched the
movements of this figure, and was sur.
prised to see it advancing straight to-
ward his outbuildings. When the man
was hidden from sight behind the barn.
Mr.. Seymour cautiously darted out to
reconnoiter He placed his hand on tie
mans arm just as he was entering the
barn. 1t was the tramp.
What does this mean, sir?" he
sternly demanded.
Don't be alarmed" said the man.
I'm neither house breaker nor barn
burner assure you. But-many years
ago used to know tn neighborhood,
and haven't seen it for thirty years. |
couldn't sleep wink tonight, and
started to rove around-for that's my
disposition. I've been all over your
farm, and fine place it is. And | see
you have a cemetery up there on the
hill. It's your first wife. take it, and
your two children who are buried
there.
Yes"
Then you've seen sorrow as well as
prosperity?'
God knows l have" Seymour an
swered. with u great sob. My very
heart-str.ngs were torn by the loss OF
the three who fill those graves"
"Well, well; life is pretty much the
samc-sorrow everywhere. Good-ni ght
and, for that matter, good-by. ! shall
be out of your hay-mOw and on the
road long before you are up.
Mr.. Sel mour ) face showed great sur
prise, and not only surprise, but relief.
He eyed the man sharply for mo
ment, and then thrust his hand INTO his
pocket.
Here is five dollars" he said. Take
it; you are welcome to it.
The tramp took the money. He
waited until the farmer was out of
sight, and then threw it down and
stamped on it, while something like an
oath broke from his lips. Presently lie
grew calmcr, picked up the money, and
put it in h $ pocket. and clambered up
again to his bed in the hay.
Mr.. Seymour was still unable to
sleep. About daylight he heard the
click of the gatc-latch, and. p"cring
through the blinds of the open window,
he saw the tramp standing outside He
stood there mOtionlcss for at least five
m nutes, and appeared to be taking a
survey of the entire premises. Then
he turned and moved off down the
road.
A look of intense relief came TO the
farmers tired face.
Il was fool sh to be so disturbed
he thought; "mcrclr an acc dental re-
semblance. Then he lay down to
sleep; and when the breakfast bell
rang, an hour later, he was in a sound
slumber.
Well ngton Seymour awakened, ate
h S meal, and went out among the har-
vestcrs. Ike one who has escaped from
threatening per |, and who can hard
ly realize the fact of his escape. All
that had happened to Il m since the
previous evening seemed like an I'M
pleasant dream. he men in the field
remarked that he was whole hour
late-something before unheard Of
and that he did not talk rs usual At
ten o'clock DR.. Boards horse and bug
gy dashed up the road and halted OPP
posite the field where they were all ut
work. Mr.. Seymour went instantly
out to the road. with premcnition
that he was urgently wanted. 1t was
even so. The messenger told him that
at Oldtield Crossing, IN hour before, q
tramp had tried to catch a ride on q
freight train; that he had fallen under
the wheels, and was now dying, with
both legs crushed: and that he had
begged the doctor TO send at once for
Wellington Seymour, for he could not
die without seeing him.
Mr.. Seymour waited not an instant;
not even to put on his coat, which he
had left back in the field. He took hi:
seat in the buggy. and in thirty min,
utes the fleet animal had brought hin
to the station. An excited crowt
blocked tho entrance to the freigh
house. Doctor Beard and several 9th
ers came forward as Mr.. Seymour
/